Forum Index > Public Lands Stewardship > Baker Lake Road to Trail Scoping
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iron
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iron
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PostTue Sep 18, 2018 11:51 am 
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Dear Forest User: The U.S. Forest Service (FS), Mount Baker Ranger District (MBRD), is initiating public scoping on the Baker Lake Road to Trail project within the Upper Baker Lake Watershed. We are evaluating alternative trail locations for maintaining access to the Baker River trail and Baker Lake trail along the Baker River. Current access to the Baker River Trailhead (TH) is along FSR 1100000 (Baker Lake Road) which lies in the channel migration zone (CMZ) of Baker River. The river has damaged the road a number of times in the past, and currently has damaged a section of the road prior to the TH parking area. Specifically, this effort will determine which trail relocation alternative provides the greatest certainty for long term recreation access, maintains or restores river and floodplain processes, and is economically feasible now and into the future. The Forest Service is scoping for issues that the environmental analysis should address on this project. Comments should be in the form of specific issues raised by the actions as proposed. Location This project is located in the Upper Baker Lake Watershed near the town of Concrete, Washington. Township and Range: T38R10Es30 and T38R9Es25 and s35. Whatcom County, Washington. Purpose and Need The purpose is to maintain recreational access to the high value recreational area of the Baker River and the southern portion of Mt. Baker on the Mount Baker Ranger District. In doing so, the FS is directed to maintain access to these high value recreational resources while maintaining or restoring natural resources. This project is consistent with the Baker Lake and South Fork Nooksack River Access and Travel Management decision in 2005, which analyzed the relocation of the last 0.5 miles of FSR 1100000 if any additional flood damage were to occur to the road. The need for the project is that the existing road and trail access to Baker River and the southern portion of Mount Baker are continually at risk of being lost by the migration of Baker River into Baker Lake Road (FSR 1100000). Over decades, the river has attacked Baker Lake Road and Baker River Trail-head requiring road repair and maintenance. Losing access to Baker River, Baker River TH, and the southern portion of Mt. Baker would not meet the recreation strategy of the MBRD. Relocation Options Option 1: The proposed action is to decommission FSR 1100000 for 0.9 miles from the existing trail-head and parking lot, and the road between the existing trail-head to Channel Creek. In addition, after Channel Creek crossing the road will be converted to trail for one mile to the new trail-head and parking area. The new parking area and trail-head will be built on a flat near Shannon Creek, near the Shannon Creek Boat Campground. A new trail, approximately 1.2 miles long, will be constructed from a point along the Road to Trail section that reconnects with the existing trail near the bridge across Baker River. This new construction would be outside of the valley floor and out of the Channel Migration Zone (CMZ) of the Baker River. In sum: vehicular access is proposed to terminate at the new Baker River trail-head and parking lot approximately two miles south of the existing location, and and additional two miles of trail will be created to maintain access to the upper watershed and Baker River. Option 2: This option is identical to the proposed action, save for that the road to trail conversion would extend beyond Channel Creek roughly 1,200 feet, and the new trail construction would be located within the valley bottom and bisect the floodplain of the Baker River and reconnect to the existing trail-head. How to Comment and Time Frame The Forest Service is scoping for issues related to the options presented herein and that the inter-disciplinary team should address during any possible analysis. Your input will be used to analyze the effects of the proposed action, develop alternatives, or focus the scope and extent of the analysis, so specific comments would be most helpful. This project is subject to a pre-decision administrative review process (commonly referred to as an objection process) pursuant to 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B. Those wishing to be eligible to object must meet the requirements of 36 CFR 218.5. Only those who submit timely, specific written comments during any designated opportunity for public comment are eligible to file an objection. Written comments are those submitted to the responsible official or designee during a designated opportunity for public participation provided for a proposed project. Specific written comments should be within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the responsible official to consider. Individuals or representatives of an entity submitting comments must sign the comments or verify identity upon request. In an effort to reduce paper use, the Forest emphasizes the use of electronic correspondence throughout this project. Commenting information can be found at the project's webpage, https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54710. Once on the website, under "Get Connected," click on the link for "Comment/Object on Project." Electronic comments are also accepted and may be submitted with the following subject line, “Baker Lake Road to Trail Project”, and as part of the actual e-mail message, or in another readable format such as plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), .pdf, or Word (.doc or .docx) to: comments-pacificnorthwest-mtbaker-snoqualmie-mtbaker@fs.fed.us. Written comments should be mailed or dropped off in person to: Erin Uloth, District Ranger Mt. Baker Ranger District 810 State Route 20 Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284-1263 Office hours for submitting hand-delivered comments are 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Oral comments can be provided at the Mt. Baker Ranger District (address above) during normal business hours, or via telephone at (360) 854-2601. Comments received, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the Project Record and available for public review. Thank you for your interest in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Mount Baker Ranger District. /s/ Erin Uloth

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slabbyd
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PostTue Sep 18, 2018 3:54 pm 
These days I'm all for longer trails and harder access. To bad about all the white trash campsites that are going to get cut off.

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Alpendave
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PostWed Sep 19, 2018 3:05 am 
slabbyd wrote:
These days I'm all for longer trails and harder access. To bad about all the white trash campsites that are going to get cut off.
Well, it wouldn’t be white “trash” if they didn’t leave behind beer cans, dirty diapers, ands stuff like that. If the are too lazy to pack it out, hopefully the same goes for packing it in. But experience has shown they often are capable of the initial effort 🙁.

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Ski
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PostThu Dec 13, 2018 12:16 pm 
Thursday December 13, 2018 10:51 PST The Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) for the proposed Baker Lake Road to Trail project is available for review and comment. The project is located in the Upper Baker Lake Watershed near the town of Concrete, WA in Township 38N Range 10E Section 30 and T 38N R 9E Sections 25 and 35, Whatcom County. Additional project information, including the Draft EA and a notification letter (also attached to this message), is available on the project website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54710 The Responsible Official for this project is Mt. Baker District Ranger Erin Uloth. Comments on the Draft EA will be accepted for 30 days beginning on the first day after the date of publication of the legal notice in the Skagit Valley Herald (36 CFR 218.25). A copy of the legal notice will be available on the project website. Electronic comments are preferred and may be submitted by completing this comment form. The comment form can also be accessed through the project website by clicking on the "Comment/Object on Project" link on the right sidebar. Comment form HERE: https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=54710 -USFS-

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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